Lebanon is facing a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis as renewed hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel intensify across the region. Since early March, airstrikes have targeted several areas including southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and the Beirut–Mount Lebanon region. Evacuation orders affecting more than one hundred villages have forced tens of thousands of families to flee their homes with little warning. As violence spreads, civilians are bearing the greatest impact, with fear and uncertainty gripping communities across the country.
The latest escalation has created a large wave of displacement and is putting enormous strain on an already overwhelmed humanitarian system. More than 95,000 people are currently registered in collective shelters across Lebanon, though the true number of displaced individuals is believed to be significantly higher. Schools and public buildings have been converted into emergency shelters, while many families are forced to sleep in cars or stay with relatives in overcrowded apartments as official shelters reach full capacity.
This surge in violence is worsening a crisis that has been building for years. Lebanon has already been struggling with a severe economic collapse, which has caused the national currency to lose most of its value and pushed a large share of the population into poverty. Basic services such as healthcare, electricity, and education remain unreliable, leaving many households unable to meet essential needs even before the current escalation of violence.
Public infrastructure has also been severely affected by previous conflicts and economic challenges. Damage to hospitals and the closure of many health facilities have significantly reduced access to healthcare services for thousands of people. At the same time, the country continues to host the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, including around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, many of whom already live in extreme poverty and legal insecurity. Some refugees have once again been displaced by the latest fighting, with thousands crossing into Syria in recent days.
Humanitarian needs across Lebanon were already immense before the current conflict intensified. Millions of people required assistance, yet the humanitarian response has been severely underfunded, receiving only a fraction of the financial support required. Aid organizations are calling for urgent funding to expand emergency response efforts, provide cash assistance, deliver healthcare and protection services, and supply basic relief items to families who have lost their homes.
The International Rescue Committee has been operating in Lebanon since 2012 and continues to respond to the growing crisis. Despite the challenging security situation, the organization and its partners are providing essential services such as healthcare, mental health support, emergency financial assistance, and protection services, particularly for women, children, and survivors of violence. Through these efforts, humanitarian groups aim to address urgent needs while supporting vulnerable communities as the crisis continues to unfold.
